Maguire Earns 1st NCAA Win

The No. 11 Boston University men’s ice hockey team scored three goals in each of the first two period to cruise to a 6-2 road victory over Vermont on Friday evening at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

The Terriers improve to 6-3-0 overall and 5-2-0 in Hockey East play while the Catamounts drop to 1-4-2, both overall and in the league.

BU got goals from six players and freshman Sean Maguire made 29 saves to earn his first collegiate win.

The Terriers successfully killed off an early 5-on-3 UVM advantage that lasted for 1:45 to seize the momentum and then never relinquished it, reeling off the game’s first four goals, including tallies on each of their first two power-play chances.

Senior Wade Megan and sophomore Alexx Privitera each recorded a goal and an assist. Megan’s tally was the eventual game-winner and Privitera recorded a game-high four blocked shots. Junior Garrett Noonanand sophomore Cason Hohmann (game-best +3 rating) collected two assists apiece.

Freshman Ahti Oksanen opened the scoring on a power play 11:46 into the game as he rifled a shot to the upper left corner of the net right as he took a hit in the left circle. Freshman Danny O’Regan and junior Matt Nieto earned assists on the play.

BU took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission thanks to goals 40 seconds apart late in the first. From the top of the crease, junior Sahir Gill finished off a pass by freshman Matt Grzelcyk at 17:51 for his first goal of the year. Moments later, BU converted in tight once again, this time from the stick of Megan off a feed by Hohmann.

A UVM penalty at 3:46 of the second allowed BU to take a 4-0 lead. Megan brought the puck into the zone before dropping off a pass for Hohmann, who then found Noonan as he joined the play. Noonan then set up Privitera at the top of the right circle, where he buried a shot at 4;24 to chase UVM goaltender Brody Hoffman.

The Catamounts got on the board midway through the contest when Chris McCarthy found the back of the net to cut the BU lead to 4-1.

The Terriers, however, completed another three-goal period with strikes from freshman Wesley Myron and senior Sean Escobedo at 17:03 and 19:51, respectively, to create a 6-1 cushion.

Myron’s goal, which was his first collegiate tally, came on a rush from the left side after receiving a pass from junior Patrick MacGregor. The highlight of the night came from Escobedo, as he eluded a UVM defender with a spin move at the top of the slot before beating Billy Faust for his third career goal at Gutterson.

BU gave the home team three power-play chances in the third and they cashed in on the middle one, as Pete Massar capped the scoring when he got ahead of the defense and converted from above the right post with 11:19 left in regulation.

Vermont got a combined 19 saves from Hoffman (10) and Faust (9) and went 1-of-5 on the power play. The Terriers converted on two of their six chances with the man advantage.

BU will return to action on Sunday (Nov. 18) when they play host to No. 5/6 New Hampshire. Game time is set for 1 p.m.